My Time as a Graduate Student

The Hobbits

by Tina E on December 8, 2012

In light of the new Hobbit movie (actually trilogy) I would like to share with you the hobbit species of human.

Discovered in 2003, the species Homo floresiencsis, nicknamed the Hobbit was discovered in Indonesia. This species dates from around 100-12, 000 years ago, and is still under debate about its origins because of it’s uniqueness. About 9 individuals were discovered and almost a full skeleton including a skull. The Hobbit is estimated to be estimated at 3’7” and 55 lbs (thus the nickname for it’s size) with a brain size of about 400 cc (smaller than the size of a chimp, quarter of the size of humans). Despite the small brain, it’s intelligence is more advanced than that of an ape due to the evidence of advanced tool use, as well evidence of meat eating with cut marks on animal bones, and evidence of fire making. You don’t have to have a large brain to have intelligence.

It has relatively modern legs, so it was bipedal, but had arboreal wrist suggesting it was still living partially in the trees. Other species that existed during this time were the neanderthals and various other archaic Homo sapiens whom brain size were that of modern humans or larger, with relatively modern human anatomy.

Theories that surround this species is that it suffered from genetic or developmental disorder, or a genetic variation just like that are small people in modern humans, this could very well be the case.

So when you go see The Hobbit, keep in mind that they could have actually been an evolved species of Homo floresiencsis and that Tolkien could have discovered, covered it up, and planted the evidence for the future to discover the species that gave rise to his characters. I believe that it is a literary conspiracy.

Tolkien’s description of the Hobbits:

Hobbits are little people, smaller than dwarfs. They love peace and quiet and good tilled earth. They dislike machines, but they are handy with tools…..